You Promised me cake
by TheOnlyDarknessLeft
Summary: Follow Chess as he tries to figure out what happened after the Bring-your-son/daughter-to-work-day incident in the Aperture Laboratories. Slight AU, Male test subject. Rated M for: Death, adult language, and suggestive themes.


Hello everyone! The dead walk! muahahahahahaaa! (ahem) anyway, I have made a new story and if you want to read thank you. As you have read, this is a Portal fiction. I have taken a different view on this, so if you don't like the whole "male test sebject view"...well then bite my hindquarters. This is a well developed story and I don't need people telling me about the game character's gender, I've played the game, I know Chell's a girl. But she's already had enough fame without me adding to it.

This story takes place during and after the Bring-your-son/daughter-to-work-day. We will be following a boy who was, unfortunaly, caught up in the chaos and is now doing the deadly tests of the Enrichment Center. If you're looking for Chell as a main character, you're out of luck. This follows one char and that's it. Get used to it.

Ugh, but let me get the legal stuff out of the way. I DO NOT OWN PORTAL! I own the characters Chester, his father, and Sonia. That's it. (puts down megaphone) okay. Enough with my ranting enjoy my fiction. Treat her with care okay? She's a delicate flower. laughs But seriously, no flames. Thank you! enjoy!

--

"Hello," A recording of woman's relaxed voice activated as a lone man walked through the clear sliding doors. "and welcome to the Aperture Science Enrichment Center. Please remember that we cannot be held responsible for the actions of others and that serious injury may occur during research. We would also like to remind you that tomorrow is bring your son/daughter to work day. Thank you for choosing Aperture Laboratories, Your Trusted Friends in Science!" The man readjusted his tie and stepped towards the circular reception desk.

"Morning Sonia." he waved to the young woman who was diligently typing out new test subject files.

"Good morning Mister Ozman. How's the family?" she looked up from her screen and smiled.

The older man chuckled, "Chester is still a handful but he's doing just fine. I'm sure he's going to love to see what his daddy does for a living." He unclipped his Identification badge from the front of his lab coat and swiped it underneath a scanner. "I wish Mary would just relax though. What's the harm if Chester comes along with me? This is the safest building in the city." He clipped the badge on and started walking towards the steel door. "Well, I'll speak to you later Sonia, Have a good day." He waved over his shoulder and disappeared behind the reinforced door. She waved goodbye to the man and continued her work on the subjects files.

"Daddy?" A young boy fumbled with a toy robot.

"Yes son?" The driver smiled as they pulled to a stop in front of the guard-post.

"I'm scared, There's gonna be stranger's there..." He twisted the robot's arm and continued to stare at the floor.

The man smiled and mussed the boy's black hair, "Don't worry scout, they're all my friends here. They won't hurt ya. I promise."

A second man wearing a kevlar vest and a security badge leaned in, "Morning mister Ozman." He noticed the young boy, "Hey! Who's the little guy? A new scientist?" He chuckled and waved. The boy looked away in fright.

The driver smiled, "Nah, He's my boy. But he's a little shy. You know, the whole 'big scary building' and all." He patted his son on the shoulder.

The guard smiled. "Yeah, my boy was scared too, but I let him wear some of my riot gear and he's been having a blast. Chasing those little animals and such with my stun baton." He looked towards the woods quickly before returning his attention to the driver. "Well I'll let you in Mr. Ozman. No need to keep a man of science at the gates." He disappeared into the booth and the gate slowly slid open.

"Thanks Trent. See you later." The man drove into the parking lot.

"Have a good day Mr. Ozman." the guard waved to the passing vehicle.

"That man was scary daddy." The boy mumbled as he stared at the action figure.

"Don't worry Chess, there's going to be lots of other kids here for you to play with. You're going to love it here." He pulled the blue sedan into the parking spot near the front entrance marked 'Ozman.' "Now put on a big smile and let's impress some people."

The ten year old put on a false smile and nodded, "Okay dad."

"Atta boy. Now let's get going." the boy's father smiled and picked up a black leather suitcase.

"You know son, you're going to be part of history today." The boy looked up at his father in confusion. "They're going to activate this revolutionary new computer operating system today. It's going to rival the greatest minds in America."

"Even yours dad?"

The man chuckled, "Maybe, but then again. Your dad is pretty smart, smarter than some fancy computer."

"You're the smartest person ever dad!" The boy smiled brightly, "Nobody is better than you daddy!"

--

"Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Laboratories." A harsh, mechanized female voice crackled over the speakers. "Today is, Bring-your-son/daughter-to-work day. Please keep track of your child and remember that, Aperture Science is not, responsible for any missing children or serious injury during the course of your, work day."

The child clutched his father's pantleg. "That lady's scary."

The father patted him on the head, "I know, what's going on here?" he muttered more to himself than to his son. He started to walk towards the circular reception desk with his son in tow.

The blonde woman behind the desk looked up as the scientist neared her desk. "Good morning Mr. Ozman." She noticed the ten year-old attached to his side. "And hello to you cutie." She smiled at the boy. He buried his face into his father's coat.

"Don't worry about him, he's just shy." the man smiled and detached his ID.

"Ah, the same here, little Chell is quiet as a mouse today." She patted her daughter on the head as she played with a bulky, handheld gaming device. "She's usually very talkative. Chell, honey, say hello to Mr. Ozman's son."

The sound effects stopped abruptly and an eleven year old girl's head popped up from behind the desk. "Hi." She squeaked and held out her arm over the desk.

The boy stared at it for a second before reaching out and grasping her hand. "H-hi. I'm Ch-Chester." He sputtered shyly.

"My name's Chell." She smiled. "Nice to meet you Chester."

"Y-yeah, nice to meet you too."

The boy's father had already scanned his ID and was saying goodbye to the two behind the desk. "Come on Chester, We have a lot more to see and do." he guided his sone through the reinforced door, "This is a big day and we can't hold everyone up." The boy looked back to the small girl and then at the small line of people formed in front of the desk. The girl glanced at him and waved goodbye before the steel door slammed shut.

--

He rubbed his eyes. The harsh, sterile lights irritated his retinas. They always seemed to be on, unless he closed his eyes. _How long has it been? What day is it? What's the time? What's my Name? Where am I? Everything is too bright! My back is stiff. Dad? Daddy? Mom? Is the radio on? I should go back to sleep. _The room turned hazy grey and blacked out.

--

"What's going on dad? Where are we going?" The boy asked as he was held by his father.

"Don't worry son! Just trust me!" He ran through the red filled corridors. The claxons blaring throughout the building were nearly deafening.

"Why is everyone screaming? I'm scared daddy!" The boy cried out and clutched his father's chest. The sounds of gunfire died down as the man ran further down the hall. The scientist rounded the corner and gasped as he saw the bloodied corpses of his fellow colleagues. The whir of gattling gun barrels began as the turrets located the scientist.

He ducked back into the corridor and looked further down the hall ahead of him. The 'relaxation vault' was at the end. He had heard about it but there seemed to be no way to open it. He peeked around the corner and groaned as the two turrets continually scanned the research area. He took a deep breath and started running for the 'relaxation vault.' It would be foolish to put his son in there, but he would rather have his son in a glass cube than killed in a hail of gunfire. He raced towards the open, circular door for the 'relaxation vault' with his son weeping quietly against his chest.

"Don't worry son. You're gonna be just fine. You're gonna be just fine." He assured his sun as he ran through the opening to the room.He didn't have time to notice that the entrance he had just used and closed and sealed.

He stepped through the circular archway and looked around for some kind of button to open the vault. He spied a control modem. He raced over to the panel and began looking for some kind of clue to help him open the vault. The man noticed instructions on how to open the vault, without hesitation, he began to punch in the numbers and letters sprawled across the paper. There was a pause before a portal opened on the only solid steel section of the vault. Unfortunately, that also triggered the defense turrets. He ran over to the pulsating opening with his son in his arms.

"What is that?" The boy asked scared.

"I don't know. But I hope it can keep you safe."

"What? What's going to happen dad?" The boy looked up at his father in shock. The man smiled weakly and hugged his son.

"I love you, Chester. Always remember that. I'm doing this to protect you."

"Dad?" The boy's eyes choked with water again, "What's going on?" Two turrets rose from hidden deploy points hidden in the floor and began to scan the area.

The man started to cry, "I'm going to leave, son, for a very long time. I need you to be strong. For the both of us." He kissed his son on the forehead. "Both your mother and I love you." He placed his son into the clear vault.

"Dad?" the boy looked one last time at his father's face before the portal closed. "Dad! Daddy!" he pounded on the door. "Dad! Let me out! Dad!" He collapsed against the door and started to sob uncontrollably. The last thing the boy could hear was the whir of the turret's barrels and the bark of weapons fire, followed by a dull thud as his father fell to the floor. Then nothing. Then darkness.

--

He squirmed and flailed frantically. He bolted upwards and slammed into a plastic dome. He winced in pain and held his head. His forehead stung and pulsed as his eyes adjusted to the harsh, white, light. The clear plastic walls came into focus, then the dome covering him. He groaned and pushed the pod open. His legs felt like jelly and his arms were weak. _When was I last in there? What's today? What time is it? _

His bladder was full to bursting, he shakily made his way over to the sterile, chrome toilet. When he first arrived here, he was uncomfortable in reliving himself in the open. Now, with so much time passed in solidarity, he had grown callused to the anxiety. He flushed the metal toilet and washed his hands in the small sink. As a matter of fact, he had gotten used to doing a lot of things with his body that he wouldn't do in public.

He stretched his arms and his legs to get the circulation flowing again. He turned on the radio and rotated through the 'stations,' that the laboratory had set up for it's workers, to smooth jazz. Once his body got used to so much movement, he proceeded with his usual awakening workout of near numberless amounts of pushups, crunches, squats, and shadow-boxing sessions. This strict workout routine helped him keep in top shape and gave him incredible upper torso strength.

He was physically exhausted and refreshed by his workout, he removed his orange jumpsuit and stepped into the shower area. Something that bothered him was that there was always a fresh bar of soap on the shower floor. He guessed that the people here reused the leftover scraps when he used up most of his soap. He picked up the soap and activated the shower by pressing the orange button next to the bar of soap. A spray of warm water rained down him, he smiled as the water rinsed off the grime and sweat that had accumulated on his body during his stasis. He lathered up the soap and proceeded to wash his body and hair. He really wished that he had a decent razor, the one he had was dulled and jagged.

He rinsed his face and grabbed his orange jumpsuit. He ran it under the water and washed it liberally with the soap. He had forgotten how long he has been in the cube, but he knows that the only three jumpsuits he had must be washed if he wanted to retain any grasp of sanity. Cleaning those clothes was the little bit of humanity he had left. He had gone so long without talking that he may have permanently lost his voice. He couldn't even read past the sixth grade. Let alone understand most of the scientific garble that was spoken to him at random points of his existence. He laid out the soaking wet suit and walked over the small table holding his other two jumpsuits, one black and the other red, both with white lettering that read "Aperture Science Enrichment Center". He slipped into the black jumpsuit and grabbed the mug filled with fresh water, this too was a mystery to him. They always seemed to give him fresh water just before he awakens. He sighed and drank the clear liquid. He placed the empty cup on the table, then grabbed the clipboard and tried to read what was printed on the front. After failing to comprehend the more advanced terms printed on the sheet, he took out a pen that was attached to the board by a piece of string and began to doodle on the margins and backs of the multiple papers. Another little habit that kept him entertained and sane. But, he quickly grew bored of drawing and placed the board back on the table. He turned his attention to the clock that was continually counting down.

He noticed that his orange jumpsuit was ready to turn over. He swiftly picked it up and moved to a dry location. His stomach growled in hunger. He pressed a small, almost hidden, orange button on the floor near the table. Within seconds, a fine, grey, paste was excreted from a small hole in the floor. He swiped up as much as he could and scarfed the nutrient paste down. It was nearly years since he had any real food, the paste that was the only thing that was actually keeping him alive. He licked his hands clean and dried them off on the back of his pants.

He grew bored and tapped the spring heels attached to his calves. He wondered how he got them, He never saw anybody enter the chamber, in fact, he hasn't seen anyone in the observation room either. This worried him, but not by much. What worried him the most was the fact that they were surgically sewn into his skin.

--

For some strange reason he was compelled to look at the digital clock that was now running into minutes instead of hours. He stood up and examined it closer, to make sure he wasn't losing his sight. The clock was counting down from a minute now. He grabbed his red jumpsuit and quickly began to fold the orange one. He couldn't really tell what was going to happen when the timer reaches zero, but it couldn't be worse that wasting away in the cube. He ordered up one last batch of the nutrient paste and slid it into the cup.

"Hello, and again, welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center. We hope your brief detention in the relaxation vault has been a pleasant one."

The man scoffed and the recording continued.

"Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test properly."

"Test? What test?" He croaked after years of silence.

"Before we start," The recording continued with total disregard to his quiet outburst. "however, keep in mind that although fun and learning are primary goals of Enrichment Center activities, serious injuries may occur. For your safety, and the safety of others, please refrain from-" the audio crackled and warped before hissing static and the light started to shake violently and spark wildly. Then it started speaking to the man in an alien tongue before rapidly screeching into silence. "-and with that, the portal will open in three...two...one..." A small, blue rimmed archway opened on the solid strip of concrete.

Almost in a trance, The man stepped through the portal and outside the cube he was imprisoned in for so long. He wearily walked around the plastic cube and surveyed the area. He noticed a single surveillance camera following his movements. He gulped down the nutrient paste and chucked the cup at the camera. The device sparked and whined as the sudden impact jarred some of it's rotation gears loose.

He walked into the area before him, a single red button stood in the center of the room and a large tube hung from the ceiling resting int the corner. As he walked past the circular archway, the door sealed behind him and a lone storage cube dropped from the clear tube. He looked around confused. What was he supposed to do? He looked up at the frosted glass near the ceiling for an answer. But received silence. It took only a second for him to figure out what to do. He smirked and placed his spare jumpsuits on the floor. He calmly made his way over to the colossal white cube and grabbed the faces. With a grunt, he hefted it over his head with little difficulty. The odd thing about the crate was that there was a strange scent coming from it. Something burnt. Like the barbeque he had attended once during the summer of his youth. He shook those thoughts from his head and placed the heavy cube on the gigantic red button. The gears whined and the button depressed slowly into the ground. When it rested, the doors unlocked and slid open.

"Excellent. Chester." Her digitalized voice resonated from the ceiling's speakers. "Please proceed into the Chamber-lock afer each test."

He stared down the newly revealed hallway and noticed what looked like a curved elevator waiting for him. He slowly picked up his clothes and proceeded down the corridor. "First, however, note the incandescent particle field across the exit." He surveyed the blue, crackling field with curiosity. "This Aperture Science Material emancipation Grille will vaporize any unauthorized equipment that passes through it." He pulled back his finger from the electric field. "For instance, the Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube." He stared at the blue field for a full minute before tossing his orange jump suit into the Grille. It passed unharmed and onto the Lift's floor. Just to be safe, he tossed his red suit in. Satisfied with the fact they were not destroyed, he slowly entered the pod.

He gathered up his clothes, then stuffed them into the front and back of his jumpsuit. The curved, white doors hissed and closed the space before him, sealing him in darkness. The lights flickered and activated as the elevator began it's decent into the lower testing sections.

--

There you have it, first chapter. Responses? Reviews? Both are welcome, no flames please. Flames will be used for incineration.

(A/N) Yes I know the irony of having Chell in here. But She's part of the Portal Universe. You can't just leave her out. That would be rude.


End file.
